Visiting the Whiz Kid
by Diivine
Summary: Another little vignette of the Whiz-Kid series. The day was like any other day in Zane’s life. But then who showed up? Big brother Zack.


**Visit****ing the Whiz-Kid**

**Author**: Diivine

**Disclaimer:** Dark Angel belongs to James Cameron, Charles H. Eglee and company.

**Rating**: T, some language

**Summary**: Another little vignette of the Whiz-Kid series. The day was like any other day in Zane's life. But then who shows up? Big brother Zack.

**Feedback**: Always welcome.

**Author's note:** Again, a story to help me overcome my fascination with the forgotten character that is Zane. It's not particularly related to The Whiz-Kid and The Whiz-Kid Gets Older stories, but it could have happened sometime in the adulthood of Zane, though. This story is in fact much –much- older than both of these aforementioned fictions. I had it posted several years ago on my previous pen name and was then called 'Checking on'. However, I kind of deleted my old account (is it even possible? Maybe it's this one, with a new name account… whatev'). So I'm not sure if it's possible to delete an account, but add the fact that I'm a trouble magnet and a danger to myself and you probably understand the situation I am in right now.

**AN2:** There will be some spoilers about Max Allan Collins's _'Before the dawn'_ book.

Please, read and review!

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**V****isiting the whiz-kid**

_(Or, __ain't no running from karma__)_

**San Angelo, Texas****, USA – May, 2018**

Zane did an abrupt turn as his racing car got engaged in a marked curve. He felt the right side of the vehicle rose above ground-level for a few exciting seconds, missing the low wall of straws by inches. The small engine went back down on its four wheels without a scratch. He could hear cheers coming from the crowd of spectators and he couldn't help but laugh in delight; he had always liked speed and danger and these races were the best way to combine both, he'd figured.

He was now at the last line separating him from the victory. He gripped the steering wheel more tightly and pressed the accelerator pedal to the bottom, the grin erased by grim focus. He speeded up and bypassed Mike's car in front of him; the guy was a total moron but he sure knew how to win a racing competition. Today, Zane decided, Mike wouldn't win; he'd make sure of that.

Both carts were side-by-side; tracing the pattern of the beaten racing circuit and their owners throwing angered glances to one another. They were a few feet away from the winning line when Zane prepared himself to speed up again. As he went to increase the cart speed, Mike did a curt move that send his car into Zane's. Zane completely lost his concentration and his car skidded to the side; it went flying into the wall of straws and landed upside down. He furiously kicked the steering wheel and cursed loudly.

Seconds after, he was opening the door in rage and getting out of the car with the aid of two guys that had come to his help; they were looking him over from head to toes for any injuries.

"Are you alright, man?" one of them asked him.

"I'm still in one piece. Thanks." he replied.

He removed his helmet and the three of them turned to the beat up car; they looked at it in wariness. Zane scratched his lasered-off barcode, and massaged the back of his neck, trying to ease the tension that had suddenly filled him. Randy, one of his buddies, spoke: "I'm sure Mike did it on purpose."

"Yes. And he's so fucking gonna pay for that. I'm gonna send his ass to the other side of the ocean." Zane turned around and strode angrily to Mike, who was grinning like the cat that got the cream, well, more of the dog that got the bitch, really.

The guy threw up his hands in a sign of mock apology and opened the mouth to voice a lame excuse. However, he did not have quite enough time to bark anything; Zane's fist was already colliding with his jaw. The guy went butt first to the ground.

He wasn't out cold; Zane knew better than to use all of his strength. If so, the idiot would be long dead by now or suffering from a severe concussion. Mike stood up, fists ready for payback. Zane wouldn't have like anything better than to kick his sorry ass but a group of guys went between them and stopped the upcoming battle.

He sent a fuming glare to Mike and the guy threw him the same look. "We're not finish, little girl," Mike spat.

Zane knew better than reply to the threat; the jackass would pay one way or another anyway. Morons always have to pay. He turned on his heels and went to meet up with Jess, his girlfriend; she was standing with his dog in the middle of the departing crowd. Her long hair was pulled in a loose pony tail and their usual golden hues were almost white under the killer sun. She was a good-looking girl, beautiful even. She was tall with tanned skin and pale blue eyes; in one word, she was Brin's total opposite. Jess was a natural beauty; well, his sister was too, but he remembered that Brin had a thing for make-up and high heels shoes a while ago -before he had to leave her.

When he joined Jess and the dog, she looked at him for any sign of injury. It's only when she seemed satisfied that he was indeed alright that she hugged him with vigour. "Gosh," she whispered into his chest. When they separated and he patted Maya's head; the German shepherd licked his finders in return of his affection, her tail battling happily with the air.

"Are you really alright?" Jess finally asked while slipping some of his hair backwards.

"Don't worry about me. You know I'm tough," he grinned gently at her and she replied by smiling as well. He bent his head and kissed her sweetly on the lips. Jess' lips too were different than Brin's; they were less harsh and rough, and not as ruby red Brin's tended to become when kissed. He growled inwardly at his thoughts. Thinking of _her_ when kissing another girl wasn't right. He let go of Jess' lips and looked at her eyes, instead: "I'll ask the guys to help me bring the car home. Do you want to go out, tonight? Maybe we could go at Sam's for a drink."

Jess smiled up to him: "Sounds good to me." She bent and cajoled the dog's fur; Maya brewed her tail in happiness at this. And then she kissed him again. "See you tonight, Zane."

He smiled boyishly at her before she turned and left. He had met Jess at the garage he was working in. She had come because of a problem with her nearly dead car. He had liked her at first sign. Sure, she wasn't _her_ but she was beautiful, intelligent, comprehensive and lovely nonetheless.

Zane watched her departed and went to his friends to load the broken racing cart into his pickup. When accomplished, he thanked them and promised them some ol' buddy bonding at the local bar the next night.

The X5 then entered his vehicle and gunned the engine. He was waiting for a red light to turn green when he first felt him. It was Zack. He looked into his rear mirror, trying to spot where his brother was hiding. He couldn't see him.

Zane rolled his eyes: typical. Zack would want to surprise him to verify if he was still aware of his surroundings, if he hadn't lost his sixth sense.

But Zack had to know by now that Zane would never give him the satisfaction of getting caught by surprise. It may have been nine years since his siblings and himself had escaped from Manticore but never Zane had ceased being himself. He was and would stay a renegade soldier, nothing less. He was doomed to look over his shoulder all of his life. That was because he didn't want to go back there.

However, he had become more than just a soldier. He was a mechanic, a guy who had buddies, a man who loved a beautiful woman and he wanted to be all that. Years ago, he'd promised himself that Zack would never separate him from his world, ever again. And that was mostly why he'd never closed down the soldier part of him. Zack needed to think that he was still responsible and in control of the situation.

He arrived to his house; it was an old wood country cottage close to a small lake he liked fishing in. He blew up Zack's pleasure of giving him a lecture about alertness the instant he entered the house.

"I saw you three miles ago, Zack. Are you getting careless with the age?"

Okay. That wasn't true. He hadn't seen Zack at all but he liked the scowl Zack threw his way when he got away from a dark corner of the living room. Maya growled softly at his brother and he asked her to stop. She went back outside, running after birds; that was her favourite hobby.

"You're hungry?" Zane asked his older brother without so much as a proper greeting, but anyway, Zack hadn't bother either.

He went into the kitchen area, looking into the fridge. Zack followed him and stopped beside the dinner table. He didn't sit down; again with the typical Zackiness. "I saw you getting into a fight with that boy."

Again with the reprimands Zane thought, and again with a roll of his eyes. He took two beers out of the fridge and showed them to Zack.

"Want one?"

Zack did not answer.

'Agrrr' Zane thought. He took off the beer capsules and he tended one bottle to Zack while taking a big gulp out of the other one. Zack took it. He went back to the refrigerator and took two large pieces of steak. He closed the door and showed the T-bones steaks to Zack.

"Want some?"

Zack eyed warily the pieces of meat, the untouched beer still in his hand. Zane raised his eyebrows, waiting for an answer. When he was certain that he wouldn't be getting any, he raised his shoulders in an 'I don't care sign' and went outside. Again, Zack followed him silently.

Zane lighted up the old barbecue; he'd given a second life to it a year ago. He put the meat pieces on its grill. He looked at Zack at the corner his eyes. His brother was sitting at the outside picnic table, foot from him, seeming completely out of place in the nature décor with his gelled blond hair and leather jacket. It was like ninety five degrees out there, how could he stand wearing that coat?

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Zack opened his mouth for the second time since his arrival. "How are you doing?"

Zane shrugged casually as he poured barbecue sauce on the meat. Then, he turned, facing his brother: "I'm doing fine, and ya?"

Zack slowly shook his head: "You shouldn't have fought with that guy."

He couldn't just let it go, Zane thought. He returned to the steaks, not in the mood to speak with Zack anymore: "That guy's an idiot. And I didn't hurt him anyway."

"Still, you shouldn't have."

'Agrr!' Zane's mind screamed again. "Fuck, Zack! I'm not a child anymore; I know what I'm doing."

There was silence for a moment. Only the cooking T-bones were doing noises. Even Maya had stopped running after the birds to look their way, sensing the need to kept silence a few moments.

After some quiet moment, he heard as Zack stood up and walked a little on the terrace: "I know, Zane. But you're doing great here and I wouldn't like having to relocate you."

Zane looked at him. "Who have you relocated?" When his brother didn't answer, Zane tried to convince him to talk a little. "Come on, bro. I won't even know where he or she is."

"It was Krit." said Zack.

"What did he do?"

"He went to steal the warehouse of a supermarket and nearly got caught. We could say that he's really found of T-bones, like you."

Zane wanted to laugh but he was sure Zack would have made him shut up if he'd do so. Krit, the little brat! He'd been caught stealing T-bones. Zane could imagine him hiding behind milk crates in a freezer. He almost gave it and started laughing uncontrollably out aloud; a look in Zack's direction informed him that he still shouldn't do it.

"Supper is ready," he said instead, hiding his smirk by turning back to the grill.

Once he put down the plates on the picnic table, Zane sat down and started eating his meal. He watched as Zack slide the second plate toward him and grabbed a fork and a knife. They ate in silence, Zane looking at Maya as she ran across the backyard and Zack looking down at his plate, seemingly in deep reflection. It was him that spoke first.

"How is your job at the garage? And who's this girl you were kissing at the race?"

"The job's great as always and the girl's name is Jess. She is my girlfriend."

"Zane, I'm not sure it's a good - -"

Zane glared at his brother, dropping his fork in a clatter. "No Zack. You don't get to choose what I'm doing with my life. I'm being careful. I can take care of myself and I won't put Jess to the side so you can happy the next time you'll drop by next year."

And there they went again with the uncomfortable silence. Zack seemed to have lot of it in back-up. Well Zane didn't mind the silent treatment if it meant that Zack wasn't reprimanding all of his actions.

Still, he thought after some more quiet and uneasy moment, that didn't meant that he like the silence. "How are the others?" he tentatively asked. He hoped Zack loosen up a little after him lashing out at him.

Zack shrugged and gulped the meat he was chewing. "They're doing well for most of them. Jondy is still a bartender. She always had a preference for nightlife, you know that. Syl's a waitress at a beach club- she loves the sun. Krit –well- you know. I just got to move him. He'll have to find a new job." Zack took a swallow of his beer before continuing his tale. "Tinga's son is growing up like bad weed. Ben is another dilemma with his problems with melting in. Seth --"

Zack suddenly interrupted himself and averted his gaze from Zane's. Seth was a sore subject for him and his older brother knew it too well. But, even if he was angry with Seth, it didn't mean he didn't want to know how he was doing. The guy was still his brother.

"Go on," he said.

Zack's eyes finally met his and he shrugged, clearly debating on how much he should tell about Seth. He settled for short and sweet and Zane silently thanked him for it. "Seth's doing good. He's in Seattle right now."

He didn't asked question about Kavi or Vada. He knew they were gone; had been for some years now. Kavi had been captured first –they knew it because Vada had told Zack the entire scene- then two years later, it had been Vada's turn. They didn't know if she had been captured or if she died back then, but one thing remained: she was gone. Manticore had got them, one way or another and they would never return.

It was still a sore subject for Zack with his hero complex going on. And, truth be told, it was painful for Zane as well. Their deaths served as a reminder the one that left that they still needed to be vigilant.

He shook his dark thoughts away and met Zack's eyes. "What about Max? Have you finally found anything new about her?"

"I got a lead about a girl that could fit her description in L.A. But when I got there, I heard about a killing spree in an old cinema theatre and military guys taking charge of the situation. It was Lydecker's men. I listened in their radio communications and heard that the girl had put a Houdini on them. I'm sure she's Max. She's fitting the description; brown air, brown eyes, fast, athletic."

Zane didn't have the courage to tell him that the quarter of the population of L.A. must fit that description. He knew that it was important for Zack to know she was alright. She was their baby sister and they all felt the need to protect her back in Manticore. "So she may be out there, alive."

Zack nodded and they smiled.

"Do you want to go out for a drink tonight? I'm meeting with Jess and I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

"Thanks but no."

'_And thanks to the Blue Lady'_, thought Zane. He couldn't even imagine having Zack to a pub for a family reunion with his girl. That would've been awkward, way awkward.

"Do you want another beer?"

"Nah."

Did he mention already that Zack was doing in monosyllables?

He was at a lost of proposals now. "Then what do you want to do?"

"I'm leaving. I need to check on Brin. It's been a while since I last saw her."

Brin. He mentally flinched at the mere mention of her name. Zack must be waiting for him to say something about it; he knew better than anyone that Brin and he weren't on the best of terms. So he chose to put her aside and to concentrate his stirring anger on Zack instead.

"Shit, Zack. It has been one year and a half since I last saw you and you're already leaving. I feel the love," he finished with sarcasm.

Zack stood up; he did the same. He felt hurt. He was hurt.

"Zane…"

Zane stopped him with a hand gesture: "I need to meet with Jess anyway. Say hi to Brin for me, will you?"

'_Kiss her for me, will you?' _he silently asked.

"Yeah, I'll say hi for you," he said.

Zack nodded his agreement and put a hand on his shoulder; he squeezed it with affection. Zane half-smiled at him and patted his brother's arm in return.

"Tell her I'll call her when I'll be less busy." Then, he turned around and collected the dirty dishes.

'_Right, Zane. __Put the blame the work,' _he scolded mentally to himself.

His workload was several leagues above ridiculous at the moment and he wanted to make amend to all the times in the past that he'd moaned about being too busy for a quick phone call but he knew better. Yes, he may have been overloaded but the truth was that he didn't want to hear Brin imploring him to come back.

As he went to go back into the house, Zack was nowhere in sight. He sighed. Maya came his way, feeling his sadness. She was pretty receptive for a dog. "Come on, sweetpie. I have a kick-ass bone waiting for you." They entered the house.

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**The End**

**Author's note:** Ohhhhh! I hope you liked this short story. I know that while I've been writing this one, I wasn't writing the other one but I just needed a little break from younger Zane. I'm so eager to show you how our Zane will turn out to be!


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